Lens unit and fiber optic cable assembly

Abstract

A device for transmitting light, comprising, in combination, a fiber optics cable having light entrance and light exit ends, structure including a body receiving the entrance end of the light pipe for positioning said entrance end to receive light, said structure including a receiver in the body, and at least one anchor carried by said structure to attach the structure to a mounting board, for positively positioning said structure, and said body and receiver, relative to the board.

I claim:  
     
       1. A device for transmitting light, comprising, in combination, 
       a) a fiber optics cable having light entrance and light exit ends,  
       b) structure including a body for positioning said entrance end to receive light,  
       c) said structure including a receiver carried by the body and receiving the entrance end of the cable,  
       d) and at least one anchor carried by said structure to attach the structure to a mounting board, for positively positioning said structure, and said body and receiver, relative to the board,  
       e) a light focusing and transmitting lens located in said structure in alignment with said entrance end of the light pipe, said lens associated with said receiver and the cable having a light transmitting core in alignment with a substantially flat light transmitting surface of the lens, the lens and receiver being unitary, and the cable having a plastic jacket surrounding said core said jacket retained to a bore defined by the receiver,  
       f) and including a cavity in the receiver in alignment with said lens receiving a light source in the form of an LED, and including said mounting board, the entirety of the LED spaced from the mounting board.  
     
     
       2. The combination of  claim 1  wherein a portion of said structure is sidewardly offset relative to the receiver, said one anchor being in substantial alignment with said portion of said structure, and there being a shoulder on said one portion of said structure in substantial alignment with said anchor to receive pushing force transmission form a tool to drive the anchor toward an opening in the board. 
     
     
       3. The combination of  claim 2  wherein there is a tool receiving recess in said structure, said shoulder being associated with said recess. 
     
     
       4. The combination of  claim 1  including said light source in the form of an LED, in said cavity. 
     
     
       5. The combination of  claim 1  wherein there are multiple of said anchors projecting from a mounting surface defined by said structure, said anchors offset from an axis defined by the receiver. 
     
     
       6. The combination of  claim 5  wherein there are three of said anchors. 
     
     
       7. The combination of  claim 1  wherein said body has multiple sides, two of said sides forming tongue and groove configurations to receive corresponding groove and tongue elements of adjacently mounted bodies. 
     
     
       8. The combination of  claim 1  including a lens unit at the light exit end of the cable. 
     
     
       9. The combination of  claim 8  wherein said lens unit has a light transmitting end wall, a side wall extending away from said end wall, the cable light exit and retained in assembled relation to said side wall, whereby light is transmitted from the cable exit end to said lens unit end wall. 
     
     
       10. The combination of  claim 9  including a tubular retainer receiving said light exit end of the cable, the tubular retainer assembled to said side wall. 
     
     
       11. The combination of  claim 10  wherein said side wall and said cable light exit end have interlocking relation. 
     
     
       12. The combination of  claim 10  wherein said side wall has multiple spring fingers, and said retainer and fingers have interlocking relation. 
     
     
       13. The combination of  claim 12  wherein said retainer and fingers have tongue and groove interlocking relation. 
     
     
       14. The combination of  claim 12  wherein said retainer has an exterior flange, and at least one of said fingers has a groove receiving at least part of said flange. 
     
     
       15. The combination of  claim 9  wherein said end wall has an inner face directed axially toward said cable light exit end, said inner face having facets. 
     
     
       16. The combination of  claim 12  wherein said spring fingers have cam surfaces thereon to be spread apart in response to axial movement of the retainer relative to the spring fingers. 
     
     
       17. The combination of  claim 16  wherein said cam surfaces are divergent in a direction away from said lens unit end wall. 
     
     
       18. The combination of  claim 16  wherein said cam surfaces are convergent in a direction away from said lens unit end wall. 
     
     
       19. The combination of  claim 12  wherein the retainer has a substantially cylindrical side surface in closely spaced relation to said spring fingers. 
     
     
       20. The combination of  claim 8  including a panel carrying said lens unit. 
     
     
       21. The combination of  claim 8  wherein said cable light entrance end is spaced from said unit end wall, and including an LED facing and spaced from said cable light entrance end to transmit light into the cable via said entrance end. 
     
     
       22. The combination of  claim 1  including a bore defined by the body, the receiver extending in said bore and retained to said core. 
     
     
       23. The combination of  claim 22  including retention ribs on one of said bore and receiver. 
     
     
       24. A device for transmitting light, comprising, in combination, 
       a) a fiber optics cable having light entrance and light exit ends,  
       b) a lens unit at the light exit end of the cable, said unit having a light transmitting end wall, a side wall extending away from said end wall, the cable light exit end retained in assembled relation to said side wall, whereby light is transmitted from the cable exit end to said lens unit end wall,  
       c) a tubular retainer receiving said light exit end of the cable, to position the cable exit end relative to the unit end wall whereby that end wall is substantially fully illuminated by light form the cable, the tubular retainer assembled to said side wall,  
       d) said cable light entrance end spaced from said unit, and including an LED facing and spaced from said cable light entrance end to transmit light into the cable via said entrance end,  
       e) there being a receiver carrying the LED and a support board carrying the receiver, the entirety of the LED spaced from the support board.  
     
     
       25. The combination of  claim 24  wherein said side wall and said cable light exit end have interlocking relation. 
     
     
       26. The combination of  claim 24  wherein said side wall has multiple retention fingers, and said retainer and fingers have interlocking relation. 
     
     
       27. The combination of  claim 25  wherein said retainer has an exterior flange, and at least one of said fingers has a groove receiving at least part of said flange. 
     
     
       28. The combination of  claim 24  wherein said end wall has an inner face directed axially toward said cable light exit end, said inner face having facets. 
     
     
       29. The combination of  claim 26  wherein said fingers have cam surfaces thereon to be spread apart in response to axial movement of the retainer relative to the fingers. 
     
     
       30. The combination of  claim 29  wherein said cam surfaces are divergent in a direction away from said lens unit end wall. 
     
     
       31. The combination of  claim 29  wherein said cam surfaces are convergent in a direction away from said lens unit end wall. 
     
     
       32. The combination of  claim 26  wherein the retainer has a substantially cylindrical side surface in closely spaced relation to said spring fingers. 
     
     
       33. The combination of  claim 24  including a panel carrying said lens unit. 
     
     
       34. The device of  claim 24  including a support board carrying said LED, and another support panel supporting said lens unit, said panels spaced apart in fixed relation.